Police rejects traders’ plea
GURGAON, Nov 10 — The police today rejected a resolution passed by traders and industrialists at a meeting last night urging the withdrawal of criminal cases registered against relatives of the Vice-Chairman of the local Municipal Council, Mr Subash Singhla, and others, for manhandling a constable.

Sushma: Bill on foreigners soon
AMBALA, Nov 10 — Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mrs Sushma Swaraj, while talking to mediapersons here today said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would provide a stable and effective government.

Protest against hike in diesel price
ROHTAK, Nov 10 — Activists of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha today staged a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office to protest against hike in the prices of diesel. They also demanded that Jhajjar and Rohtak should be declared drought-hit districts.

Shahabad mill starts cane crushing
SHAHABAD, Nov 10 — The Chairman of the Haryana State Cooperative Sugar Mills Federation, Mr Banta Ram Balmiki, MLA, inaugurated the crushing work in the Shahabad cooperative sugar mill for the year 1999-2000 at a function here yesterday.

Power disconnected for violating norms
ROHTAK, Nov 10 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) and the district authorities disconnected power connection of a factory located on the Delhi road last night, after it was detected that factory owners were violating the peak load norms of the nigam.

Make list of govt property: Chautala
CHANDIGARH, Nov 10 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has asked for preparing an inventory of government land and property lying abandoned in various towns so that encroachments and illegal occupations on these could be vacated.

Is BJP distancing itself from Chautala?
By Gobind Thukral
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 10 — Why is the BJP not joining the Haryana ministry led by the INLD president, Mr Om Prakash Chautala? This question is haunting political circles.

Mr Chautala had met both the Prime Minister, Mr A.B. Vajpayee and the Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, and urged them to participate in his ministry. He said he considered the BJP an important ally and it should be part of the government. Mr Chautala has also publicly stated that he would welcome the BJP's participation. Since the two parties went jointly before the Governor to stake claim to form the government in place of the Bansi Lal government, everyone thought that the BJP would be part of the Haryana Government. Then they jointly contested the elections, achieved and political gain by winning all the 10 seats.

Interestingly, the BJP instead of showing signs of cohesion seems to be distancing itself from the Chautala government. How would one explain the absence of any BJP leader from the ceremony to include more ministers twice recently. No BJP MLA was present and observers noted this as a distancing exercise. There had been no public reaction to several reports either from the national or the state leadership. Mum is the word.

Clearly the BJP is not withdrawing its support. It is not bugged by any question of political morality and does not oppose defectors becoming ministers. According to certain observers, the BJP would like to go in for elections as soon some substantial achievement is there on the power front and participate later in the government. Another explanation is that the BJP wants to bargain hard to seek the maximum number of seats in the Assembly polls. Of the 90 seats, the BJP is eyeing 40 seats. This may not be acceptable to Mr Chautala who too is a hard bargainer and keeps his nose to the ground. While the BJP thinks that the sweep in the Lok Sabha poll was due to the Vajpayee wave, Mr Chautala is ready to concede some credit. INLD leaders feel that their party has a strong base in rural Haryana and victory, was by and large, due to that.

If hard bargain is the purpose, then the BJP can do that while being part of the government. And, of the 12 BJP MLAs including one defector from the HVP, Mr Karan Singh Dalal are only wishing that they should be permitted to join the ministry. Powerlessness is haunting some of them. Tomorrow when the BJP leaders and MLAs meet to plan collection of relief material at Rohtak, they are bound to discuss the question of participation in the ministry in one form or the other.

At another level, both parties are spreading out to gain new grounds. Mr Chautala has gone systematically in wooing different communities and castes. He had offered each community some sop. There is no octroi in Haryana. A measure good for the traders, both Haryanavis and Punjabis. Again, some money has been released for the Agroha Medical College. It is for the banias. Farmers have got the highest ever cane price of Rs 110 a quintal despite the fact that all cooperative sugar mills in the red. Also, the farmers are being paid their pending dues by the sugar mills. Mr Chautala is debating when and how to declare free power and water. There is then no stopping him from winning the next Assembly poll. Sops work wonders. The same way, the BJP through its shakti organisations at all levels, is trying to spread its wings in the rural areas and fortify its base among the urbanites.

The BJP's non-participation clearly shows that it has something else up in its sleeves. But it would like to reveal it at the appropriate time. As Mr Chautala needs the BJP's support not just to survive here but to get something from the Centre, he would not annoy it. But side by side, he is making sure that he would not need the support in any tug of war in the Assembly. He has managed at least 47 MLAs in a house with an effective strength of 89.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Congress president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has said that his party proposes to bring a no-confidence motion against the Chautala Government during the winter session of the Assembly beginning on November 15.

Addressing mediapersons here, Mr Hooda alleged that Mr Chautala had flouted the anti-defection law by inducting four members of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) in his ministry. He characterised this as "unethical, unprincipled and unconstitutional" and demanded forthwith the dismissal of the four inducted ministers.

He pointed out that Mr Chautala himself had opposed induction of his party legislators Mr Charan Dass Shorewala and Mr Vinod Kumar Mariya by former Chief Minister Bansi Lal in his ministry. This was challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court which disqualified the two on July 21 last. The High Court decision was, however, stayed by the Supreme Court on July 27.

He said the Congress would submit a memorandum to the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, and the Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, seeking their immediate intervention to save parliamentary democracy in the state.

Mr Hooda asked the BJP, which is supporting the Chautala government from outside to make its stand clear whether it supported "flouting" of anti-defection law.

Mr Hooda announced that the Haryana Congress would organise a march to the Assembly on November 15 in protest against, what he alleged, deteriorating law and order situation in the state, poor power supply to the farm sector now engaged in rabi sowings and unremunerative support price for sugarcane.

He said that the support price announced for sugarcane as Rs 110 a quintal was not remunerative in view of the substantial hike in diesel prices.

The Haryana Congress, he said, would lead a march to submit a memorandum to the Governor tomorrow in protest against inclusion of the name of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the charge sheet relating to Bofors guns deal pay-offs.

INLD MPs to meet PM on SYL issue
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Nov 10 — All 10 members of the Lower House of Parliament from Haryana will soon meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and demand completion of the SYL canal, besides other pending projects. This was stated by the INLD MP, Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, while talking to mediapersons at Bighar village in this district last evening.

He said the state government had taken various steps for the welfare of farmers. Though there was a severe power crisis in the state, the government had succeeded in getting a power package from the Centre.

This he said, would ease much of the power crisis in the state. He said the government was determined in providing power eight to 10 hours daily farmers in the state for the sowing of rabi.

He said the power situation would be further improved after the renovation of the Panipat thermal plant.

On the issue of reservation for Jats, he said the decision of the Central Government not to include Jats of Haryana in the OBC list was "biased and the INLD MPs would raise the matter in Parliament. He advocated inclusion of Jats throughout the country in the OBC list.

On the sack of Mr Narbir Singh and Mr Brij Mohan Singla from the Cabinet, Mr Ajay Chautala said this was the prerogative of the Chief Minister and there was no discontent among the MLAs over the issue.

He denied the possibility of a midterm poll in the state and said the Opposition had raised the issues as it had no "real" issues.

230 truckloads of relief for Orissa
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Nov 10 — The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, flagged off a convoy of more than 230 trucks carrying relief material worth Rs 4 crore for cyclone-hit Orissa here today. The relief material will reach Bhubaneshwar on November 13.

Mr Chautala said Haryana had always come forward with help in event of any natural calamity in the country. He said recently during the Kargil conflict also a number of jawans and officers from the state had laid down their lives while defending their motherland. He lauded late Constable Ashok Kumar, who lost his life while saving people in the Divali fire disaster in Sonepat.

The Chief Secretary, Haryana, Mr R.S. Verma, who was also present on the occasion said it was the first time that all districts of the state had come together for a noble cause.

The convoy of the trucks would be led by a contingent of the Haryana Police, under the supervision of an IPS officer. A team of mechanics of Haryana Roadways would also accompany the convoy.

The Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, Mr Ramniwas, who was co-ordinater of the relief campaign said the maximum relief, about 24-truck loads of relief material were arranged by Faridabad district.

Deputy Speaker, Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Mr Faquir Chand Aggarwal, local MP Rattan Lal Kataria and several deputy commissioners of different districts were also present on the occasion

Children's plea moved cop to action
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 10 — The cries of children asking for help still echo in the ears of those who witnessed the devastating fire in Ashok Nagar area of the city on the eve of Divali.

Haryana police Head Constable Surinder Kumar, who was injured in the incident while rescuing children and women, told mediapersons that it was the pleas of children that moved him to action knowing full well the risk to his life.

Meenakhshi Sharma who saved herself from the jaws of death by jumping from the roof of her burning house is in a state of shock. She lost her brother and mother in the fire.

Locality residents and representatives of various political, social, religious organisations and trade unions say they are grateful to Mr Dev Raj Diwan, an Independent MLA, whose 10 water tankers, a mobile dispensary and an ambulance van helped extinguish the flames give medical aid to the injured.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the tragedy has gone up to 46 following the recovery of the body of a nine-month-old infant from the debris. All injured undergoing treatment in various hospitals are stated to be out of danger.

Mr Arun Kapur, senior vice-president of Atlas Cycles, has handed over a cheque for Rs 1 lakh to Mr Sudhir Rajpal, Deputy Commissioner, as help to the grief-stricken families.

Police rejects traders’ plea
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Nov 10 — The police today rejected a resolution passed by traders and industrialists at a meeting last night urging the withdrawal of criminal cases registered against relatives of the Vice-Chairman of the local Municipal Council, Mr Subash Singhla, and others, for manhandling a constable.

The district police chief, Mr Shatrujit Singh Kapoor, told TNS that there was no chance of the cases being withdrawn. The cases had been registered on a complaint of the constable concerned. He expressed anguish at the way the police officer was roughed up and asserted that the matter was now sub judice.

Several cases, including those of attempt to murder and kidnapping have been registered against two relatives of Mr Singhla and three of his workmen. Singhlas own a garment store — "Suman Vastralye" — in Sadar Bazaar.

Yesterday’s meeting was convened by the local unit of the Haryana Beopar Mandal and was attended by presidents and representatives of business organisations, including the owners of nursing homes, clinics and hospitals. Members of the Gurgaon Industry Association and the Gurgaon Chamber of Commerce and Industry had also attended the meeting.Significantly, local leaders of the ruling Indian National Lok Dal and its ally, the BJP, were also present on the occasion.

The meeting passed three resolutions of which the Singhlas’ case was the first. The resolution condemned the role of the police in the case concerning Mr Singhla and demanded withdrawal of all cases registered against his family members. They also demanded arrest of the culprits who made a murderous attack on one of Mr Singhla’s brothers.

Few days back Mr Singhla’s brother’s car collided with a two- wheeler. This led to a fracas and the two persons riding the two-wheeler snatched a knife from a nearby stall and headed towards the inmates of the car. As a result of this Mr Singhla’s brother fired a shot in the air from his licensed revolver.

A constable, in uniform, having lunch at a nearby shop reached the spot and physically restrained the brother of Mr Singhla. Meanwhile, the persons on the two-wheeler escaped. A number of persons gathered there and manhandled the constable. The constable was, later, taken to the garment shop of the Singhlas where he was allegedly manhandled by a relative of Mr Singhla and his workers.

Rebutting the charge that the two unidentified persons escaped because of the partisan role of the constable,the district police chief said it was not possible for the constable to physically restrain two armed persons at one time.

The traders, however, claimed that they were living in an atmosphere of insecurity, especially after the murder of a leading jeweller of the city — Satish Jain, a few days ago.

Speakers at the meeting said some members of a gang, who had earlier attacked businessmen, were moving around in the city on two wheelers. Therefore, Mr Singhla’s brother was justified in firing a shot in the air from his revolver when the two persons came forward to attack him.

In a related development the relatives of Mr Singhla and their associates secured anticipatory bails in connection with the criminal cases registered against them.

The meeting also expressed concern over the police’s inability to arrest the murderers of Satish Jain and announced the setting up of a committee to study the cases relating to the Singhlas and Satish Jain.

Sushma: Bill on foreigners soon
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Nov 10 — Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mrs Sushma Swaraj, while talking to mediapersons here today said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would provide a stable and effective government.

She said the public had given a clear mandate to the National Democratic Alliance this time and had rejected the Congress and its leader Sonia Gandhi. In reply to a question she said the BJP would try to bring in the Parliament a Bill debarring persons of foreign origin from highest posts in the country. She said the Congress had always exercised political negativism.

The BJP leader said giving up of the Ram Temple issue was not the cause of BJP’s defeat in UP as was alleged by the former Chief Minister, Mr Kalyan Singh, recently. She said conflict within the party was the main cause for its defeat. She said in Punjab too inter-party conflict in SAD was responsible for the defeat of the BJP-SAD alliance.

Mrs Swaraj stated that the BJP would go only by the national agenda adopted by the BJP and its alliance parties. She said government would not hesitate to adopt a tough stand on terrorism and corruption. She, however, expressed her disinterest in the post of a Governor and said: "I will prefer to work among the public".

Protest against hike in diesel price
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Nov 10 — Activists of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha today staged a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office to protest against hike in the prices of diesel. They also demanded that Jhajjar and Rohtak should be declared drought-hit districts.

Addressing the demonstrators, Mr Preet Singh, President, district unit, said the hike in the diesel prices had hit the poor and the farmers the most.

He criticised the Vajpayee government and demanded withdrawal of the hike in prices.

The agitators, later, submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, through the Deputy Commissioner, demanding the implementation of the crop insurance scheme, and adequate arrangements for power and water supply to the drought-hit areas. The sabha also said the fees of the students belonging to the drought-affected districts should be remitted.

The Centre, the memorandum said, should withdraw its policies of selling public sector undertakings (PSUs) and drop plans to withdraw subsidies. It also laid stress on providing essential commodities to the poor and farm labourers at half the price through the public distribution system.

Shahabad mill starts cane crushing
From Our Correspondent

SHAHABAD, Nov 10 — The Chairman of the Haryana State Cooperative Sugar Mills Federation, Mr Banta Ram Balmiki, MLA, inaugurated the crushing work in the Shahabad cooperative sugar mill for the year 1999-2000 at a function here yesterday.

Mr Balmiki assured the farmers that their entire cane crop would be lifted by the mill and that payments would be made to them promptly through banks. He said the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, was the best well-wisher of farmers and assured the people that his government would solve their problems and fulfil all promises made during the elections.

The Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of the mill, Mrs Jyoti Arora, complimented the workers for the mill’s achievements in the field of production and quality at the national level.

The Managing Director of the mill, Mr R.C. Bidhan, in his report said the mill crushed 47.23 lakh quintals of sugarcane, manufactured 4.43 lakh quintals of sugar and earned a profit of Rs 2.22 crore last year. “We have a target of crushing 52.50 lakh quintals and raising the sugar recovery from 9.30 per cent to 9.75 per cent during this year,” he added.

A yajna was held on the occasion. Prayers were made for the success of the mill and the prosperity of the country.

Power disconnected for violating norms
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Nov 10 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) and the district authorities disconnected power connection of a factory located on the Delhi road last night, after it was detected that factory owners were violating the peak load norms of the nigam.

According to district officials, a special team led by City Magistrate Yashvinder Singh conducted a raid on a factory manufacturing fasteners and found that it was using power by violating a ban imposed by the nigam during peak load hours.

The district authorities have set up two teams for checking the violation of these norms. The power is disconnected for a week for the first violation. For second and third violations, power is disconnected for 14 and 21 days, respectively.

Make list of govt property: Chautala
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 10 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has asked for preparing an inventory of government land and property lying abandoned in various towns so that encroachments and illegal occupations on these could be vacated.

According to a press note here today, the Chief Minister was of the view that disposal of such property could fetch a good price for the state exchequer.

Presiding over a meeting of the State Planning Board, the Chief Minister directed the officials to carry out a review of the various schemes and plans and exercise economy measures.

He said the state had started receiving 9,500 cusecs of water from the Bhakra channel against its share of 10,700 cusecs.

Mr Chautala stressed the need for introducing a uniform taxation system in the states to check revenue loss.

He said the surplus municipal employees should be asked to upgrade their educational qualifications so that they could be accommodated in different departments against vacant posts.